I know that this doesn't add to understanding of zero-sum games, but I think knowledge of zero-sum games adds to understanding of this issue. The only downside

I know that this doesn't add to understanding of zero-sum games, but I think knowledge of zero-sum games adds to understanding of this issue. The only downside to mentioning zero-sum games is that it might attract pedants. I see you have no interest in discussing the topic at hand, just in berating people for not having the same standards of discourse as you. As to how the zero sum game improves understanding: It's competition in a resource-constrained environment. I don't want to stick to strict economic theory and assume that wealth creation solves this issue. We've seen that people aren't satisfied by their phones, apps, food and entertainment choices, and high-tech gadgets that people in the past could only dream of. If anything it makes people want more. All the things mentioned, the house, the car, the kids, world travel, are goals people have that don't appear to have satisfying alternatives that don't use up a lot of resources or pollute the environment.